Resident Bill of Rights
Purpose
To ensure that residents rights are clearly articulated and accessible to residents, family and staff.
Objective
To promote understanding of residents’ rights amongst residents, patients, family members and staff, recognizing their varying abilities.
Rights
- Residents and patients have the right to be treated with courtesy, dignity and respect at all times.
- Residents/patients are provided with shelter, nutritious meals and support with personal care in a manner consistent with their needs and in a safe, clean and home-like environment.
- Residents and patients (or legally designated persons) have the right to access and receive information regarding their own medical file.
- Residents and patients (or their legal representatives) have the right to give or refuse consent to treatment, including medication, in accordance with the law.
- Subject to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, residents and patients have the right of:
- Freedom of conscience, religion, culture and language
- Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression
- Freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association
- Residents and patients have the right to communicate and have contact with and visits to and from friends, family, legal representatives and others in private if desired.
- Residents and patients have the right to retain their autonomy and to receive assistance towards maximizing and maintaining their independence with recognition of the limitations they may be experiencing ex. choosing personal items to be kept in their room, space permitting, and selecting clothing worn each day.
- Residents and patients have the right to choose their own recreational activities.
- Residents and patients have the right to privacy.
- Residents and patients have the right to be free from all forms of abuse, including verbal, physical and psychological abuse.
- Residents and patients have the right to have access to policies and procedures related to initiating complaints or commendations.
- Residents and patients have the right to be free from all forms of reprisal, retribution or discrimination as a result of exercising any of the above rights.
Inherent in the Resident Bill of Rights is the recognition of the residents and patients’ responsibility to take into consideration the rights and needs of others.